Love and Basketball
by thewordsilack
Summary: Nathan and Haley were certain that they only needed two things in their life to be happy. Having one and not the other didn't seem like an option. Sometimes people need to let go of a part of their life to see that having less was really more.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Love and Basketball

**Summary: **Nathan and Haley were certain that they only needed two things in their life to be happy. Having one and not the other didn't seem like an option. Sometimes people need to let go a part of their life to see that having less was really more.

**Disclaimer: **This story will be in three parts. It is inspires by the movie _Love and Basketball. _ Some of the story will be similar to the movie, which I do not own. OTH characters belong to their creator, Mark Schwann.

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**Part 1**

Haley James let out a loud groan as she flopped down on her boyfriend's bed, who was currently watching the Celtics game on television. Her body was sore and tired from a long day of basketball tryouts for the spring season.

She had loved basketball ever since she was younger. Her family was a major influence on her love for the sport. When she was around five years old, Haley remembered watching her father play the game with her brothers on their gravel driveway. They spent most of their time there when they weren't at school playing or watching a game on their small television set. After Haley was a little bit older, her father and brothers let her join in. She caught on quickly because she had watched them from the front porch while she played with her dolls.

Haley's mother wasn't a fan of her only daughter being interested in sports. She would rather have Haley play dress up or with dolls. Mrs. James could tell from the attention Haley put into the male fraction of the family, that this was not going to be just a tomboy phase.

As Haley grew up, her brothers decided they needed to step up their game because their little sister became increasingly better at basketball. Before Haley first picked up a basketball, her brothers would pick on her because she was smaller than them. Height didn't matter anymore when she was able to snatch the ball from opposing players. Games between the family members also changed because they all wanted Haley as their secret weapon to win.

At the age of ten, Haley's father signed her up for her fist team tryouts. Mr. James coached her and always reminded her that she wasn't going to be the only talented girl on the gym floor and it wasn't just about fun anymore. The role of competiveness was going to take play. It sure hit Haley once she figured out that her father was telling the truth. During the tryout period Haley had met some other driven ten year olds. Once making the team, all she wanted to be was the star player. It was more difficult for her because of the small differences the girls had in skill level, but Haley wanted to be the one who carried the team.

She loved every part of it. With each team she tried out for, Haley made new friends and improved. The annual summer league was her favorite because she didn't have to juggle schoolwork and basketball. There was more time for her to play and practice with other girls on her team. Once she turned twelve, this was no longer an option. It was time for Haley to move onto a slightly more challenging level.

The middle school years were exactly what she had moved onto and it was an entirely different world for her. The friends that Haley made were fellow athletes of the school and most of them were boys. She felt more comfortable around them because she could talk about sport related things. Other girls were too busy discovering what makeup went with their hair and eyes or how to start dressing more pretty. Haley could care less about that stuff. She would walk the halls in a hooded sweatshirt and basketball shorts all year. It was the time in her life where she noticed that boys and girls were developing into separate people.

Athletes were also different on this level. On her previous teams the other girls just let Haley be the dominant player. There were a few girls that didn't like that idea too much and made sure that they weren't going to let Haley get away with anything. The coach was also stricter than when she was ten. She kept yelling to Haley during games to use teamwork. The first season made Haley want to quit the game all together. But, she remembered her father's repeated words that it wasn't about having fun anymore. All she could do was throw her feelings aside and focus on being a better player because her dream was to be part of the WNBA. The next two seasons Haley still only cared about her stats and showing the crowd that she was the best player on the team. It was seen as egocentric and to Haley it was just a way to show off her determination.

Freshman year tryouts were longer and stretched over many days. By this time, Haley didn't need to hold her breath while she waited for the names of the players were posted. The athletics department knew that she was talented and they also knew her brothers, who played on their high school teams. She also had an easier time bonding with the other girls because they spent more time together. They had the bus rides to away games, conference and staying at hotels, and team bonding nights where the girls would sleep at each other's houses. Haley's house was often where the girls wanted to go because they were attracted to Haley's brothers.

Basketball wasn't the most important thing in Haley's life during her sophomore season. There was certain junior she had taken an interest in. He was also big-hearted basketball player at the high school.

"I'm guessing that tryouts were brutal for you this year? I told you making a spot on varsity was going to be tough." Nathan Scott let out a chuckle as he shifted on the bed. His hand went to Haley's back and rubbed her. "How's your knee holding up?"

"It's sore." Haley's voice was muffled as she talked into his pillow. She took in his scent when she opened her mouth to speak.

"I'm sure it is. I told you not to overwork it. Coach Manson isn't going to be happy with you if you do that."

Haley turned to her side. "I know, Nathan. You, my father, and my brothers tell me that all the time. I wont do anything to jeopardize my ability to play. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like you to comfort me instead of lecturing me," she finished by planting her face back into his pillow. Last year Haley found out that she had synovial plica syndrome, which meant that the tissues in her knee were prone to irritation and injuries. She had to watch how she exercised and be carefully when she was on the court.

He let out another chuckle as he pulled his girlfriend into his side.

Nathan knew exactly what Haley was experiencing. Making the right impression on the coach was important. It wasn't just the mere skills that coaches were looking for. Attitude was also key. Knowing that Haley could be hardheaded when it came to basketball, Nathan hoped that she dialed it down a notch during her tryouts.

Basketball was also something that was dear to him throughout his life. His father had played ever since he was younger and wanted to pass on the gift to his only son. Nathan remembered hearing the familiar story from his mother that if she ever had a daughter first, then Dan wanted to have another baby right away in order for it to be a boy. As soon as Nathan could walk and run, a basketball was immediately brought into his hands. His father forced the game onto him by signing him up for expensive camps and traveling teams. At first, Nathan didn't see it as that. He saw it as his father supporting his hobby. That was far from the truth.

It was Nathan's job to carry on the Scott name through the sport of basketball. He was to be the best player on the team and impress everyone who came to see them play. The pressure to be perfect took a toll on Nathan at the age of thirteen.

Before the first playoff game, in his last season at his junior high school, Nathan decided to sneak into his father's liquor cabinet and take a few shots of whiskey. It was what Nathan thought he needed to give him an extra boost in the game. Instead, it gave Nathan a sloppy game and a killer headache and stomachache later in the night. His father had been furious by the way Nathan had chose to play. He never even mentioned the alcohol that was in his teenager's system.

The pressure hit higher in high school, but Nathan couldn't do anything drastic because the school randomly drug tested their athletes and if they ever found out about underage drinking, the player would be kicked off the team. Nathan had been named the athlete of the week many times during his freshman year. By sophomore year he was already let onto the varsity team, which was rare for any high school athlete at the school.

Junior year was the year where college scouts made their first appearance into his life. They were his shot at college ball and hopefully his future calling to the NBA. Nathan made sure that he kept his grades up to stay active on the team as well as staying clean of any alcohol or drugs. The sooner he had a basketball scholarship, the sooner he was going to get away from his father and live his own dream.

That was until Nathan met his girlfriend, who his father didn't think he needed. The two had met at a basketball banquet that was thrown to mark the end of another season. Nathan and a few other guys were waiting in the lobby to catch a look at the cheerleaders, but instead were meted by the sophomore girls' basketball team. Haley had walked in with a taller redhead girl. Nathan smirked at the sight of her, while the other guys kept their hopes up that they had a shot with the varsity cheerleaders.

By the end of the evening, Nathan finally had the chance to make an impression on the honey haired, hazel-eyed girl that caught and stole his attention. Throughout dinner, he had thought of dumb pickup lines he could use on her. Luckily, he had forgotten every single one of them because Coach Durham was going to announce the player of the year in Nathan's division. He had taken the trophy and learned the girl's name because she, too, was named player of the year by her coach.

Nathan decided to give her a congratulatory handshake. He walked up to her and put his hand out, which she shook. He was about to speak to her when one of his teammates invited him to a bonfire. Nathan looked to Haley and decided they would have a better chance at talking if she was there, too.

They talked for hours about basketball, which Nathan was surprised that a girl knew so much about. He knew then that he was intrigued by her and asked her to be his girlfriend.

Nathan brought his eyes back to his girlfriend of one year. Her breathing had slowed down from the ragged breaths that they had started out as. "Haley, are you sleeping?"

She stirred and looked to him. "No," she let out. "But, I want to be. You can just go back to watching the game. I'll just take a small nap." She pretended to ignore him, again.

Nathan rolled over so he was on top of her. "I know that you're tired from practice and everything, but," he placed a kiss on her neck, "you're not still too tired for me, right?" He asked, his hot breath tickling her neck.

She let out a moan before giggling at the slight sensation. "Nathan, I'm too sore to do anything right now. That includes you." She rolled over to hide her face.

"Come on," he pleaded as he turned her over. "I'll do all the work and I promise it won't be too strenuous on you." His muscles created his irresistible smirk.

"I'm being serious, Nathan."

"I know. So am I. It might even make you feel good. I want the girl that I love to feel good."

She rolled her eyes. "Then I can sleep?"

"Yeah, baby, then you can sleep."

"Make it quick then." She flopped her arms out and stared at Nathan with a smile as she tried to hold in her laughter.

"Just for that, I'm going to have to go really slow." He lowered his head into her neck again and began lavishing and nipping at her newly pinked skin.

The sound of her moaning his name made Nathan bring his attention to her lips. He covered his mouth over hers and slid his tongue past her lips. The Haley that he knew was back when her tongue fought with his playfully.

The couple continued making out until the sound of Nathan's front door opening and closing stopped the pair. It wasn't too loud of a sound, but they tuned in to listening so Nathan's father wouldn't catch them again. It was embarrassing for both of them and they tried their hardest to never having to go through another encounter with Dan while they were close to ripping each others clothes off.

"I guess it's safe for you to sleep now," Nathan groaned. Before removing himself off of Haley, Nathan kissed her nose.

"I don't think I can. I mean I'm all smelly from practice. I don't ant to stink up your bed. I think I'll shower first. You're welcome to join me though, incase my muscles need some extra care." She explained. Haley lifted her eyebrow while waiting for her boyfriend to catch on. For an athlete his reflexes were pretty spot on.

"Is my girl suggesting doing something other than showering?"

Haley nodded. "Oh yeah,"

Nathan watched as Haley got off the bed and took off her practice shorts. Then she made her way over to his bathroom.

His life was too perfect right now. He had the game that he loved and a girl that he was in love with. There was no way that anything could change the way he felt about either from this point on.

"I'm not going to wait on you forever, Nathan." Haley shouted from the bathroom.

Nathan sat up and removed his shirt. Then he got off the bed and removed his jeans as he made his way to the bathroom.

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"I'm sure your name's on the list, Hales. Manson would be crazy if she didn't pick you to be on her team." Nathan told Haley as they walked hand in hand to the athletics bulletin board. His thumb caressed hers in comfort.

"I now, but varsity is different than the freshman or sophomore teams. If I don't make the team, I can't show college scouts that I'm the best one out there for them to pick." Haley said nervously as her eyes wandered for her name.

"Well," Nathan said as he squinted his eyes, "it seems you still got something, James. You're really going to have to watch that knee now or the scouts wouldn't even think of considering you." He turned to his girlfriend, who had an astonished look on her face.

"I made it?" She asked him excitedly.

"You made it." He placed his finger on her name and smiled at her.

She wrapped her arms around Nathan. "I love you," she said as she craned her neck to look up at him.

"I love you, too." He placed a quick peck on her lips.

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**AN: **I hope you guys enjoyed the start to this. I should have Part 2 and Part 3 done by the end of the week. I will post them when I can.

Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

**Part 2 **

"_Please, tell me that you miss me." Haley told him over the phone. She let out a nervous laugh as she waited for her boyfriend's answer. It was the end of his freshman year at the University of North Carolina and she hadn't seen him since he came home for spring break. He had promised her that he would try to make it up for her graduation, but something else had come up._

"_I always miss you, Hales. You know that. Now, what's going on with you? I told you that I'm going to be home in a few days and I'd talk to you then, so I know that you're calling to tell me something important." He chuckled, knowing his girl. _

"_It's not going to be important if you have to beat it out of me," she joked. _

"_I think it's more fun that way."_

"_Anyway, I thought I'd let you know that I got my letter from UNC today."_

_He immediately became more alert. "And?" _

"_I haven't exactly opened it yet. I just got back from seniors night and I found it on the kitchen table," she let out a sigh._

_The smile on his face dropped at the sound of her voice. "You'll get in, Haley, if that's what's got you so worried. You have excellent grades and the scouts probably haven't seen a girl love basketball as much as you do. I can say that for myself."_

"_I know. It's just I've worked so hard my entire life to get into this amazing basketball scholarship program and if I'm not accepted, I'll lose my chance to play for a really good school and I'll miss out on seeing you everyday." _

"_You'll get in," he stated more firmly. "Now, open that letter and start jumping around and screaming. Don't tell me that's not what you're going to do either." _

_He steadily put the phone a few inches away from his ear after he heard the static sound of ripping paper. In his head he prayed that it was going to be good news for the both of them. He missed being able to see Haley on a regular basis and he knew that they were lucky that their time apart wasn't causing damage to their relationship. _

_There was no celebratory screaming on the other end of the phone and Nathan felt panicky. _

"_Nathan?"_

_The phone pressed back onto his ear. "What's the verdict, Haley?"_

"_I got in," she said softly. "I got in!" This time her voice came through with a more excited emotion. _

_Nathan swiftly punched the air with his fist. His knuckles were almost turning white from being clenched and waiting for his girlfriend's answer. _

"_We're going to be in college together!" She squealed. _

That phone call was one of the happiest moments in Nathan's life. He had so much positive things going for him and he never thought anything could change his attitude. First off, he made an easy transition from high school ball to the college level. His teammates were impressed by the freshman's ability and passion that Nathan had for the sport and they took him under their wings. That high status wasn't too different than it was in high school. Girls still wanted to get into Nathan's life. Sure, they were attractive college girls, but he hasn't in love with any of them. He was committed to Haley James.

His dream of being in the NBA was also on that list. His father was once in the NBA and he wanted Nathan to do the same because it would make him feel like a man. In order to do that, he spent most of his time on the court, going for runs, or weightlifting. When Haley's freshman year started, the basketball team did as well. He figured since he'd spent three months with Haley that he could put his focus back into the game and his dreams. Plus, Haley also had her game to focus on. Since it was her freshman year at the university, she should be dedicated to proving to the team and the coach that she deserved to be picked and it wasn't a mistake. Nathan loved how determined Haley was, but she was still the hardheaded person that she always was.

Her transition to the team wasn't as successful as his. Some of the older girls on the team didn't like the idea of a freshman being on their team. They were going to make her fight for her place. Haley just fought back harder. It sounded like a triumphant act, but it wasn't that way to her coach. She was convinced that Haley was showing off. Haley's embarrassment pleased the other teammates.

Nathan was sure that it was going to get easier for her. It was just going to take time, a ton of time.

College seemed to be going pretty well for Nathan until he found out that his parent's marriage was going for a downfall. He learned that the man he looked up to was nothing more than a liar and a cheater. At first, Nathan was stunned because he didn't think his father was capable of ever being with another woman. When he was younger, his parents always seemed happy. Nathan didn't come to his conclusion until he started putting the pieces together. His mother always complained about his father working real late hours and barely being at home. Nathan just saw it as a man taking care of his family. When he heard the reports, his mother was the first one he called. She was crying when she answered the phone and it broke Nathan's heart and then it angered him at the thought of his father's infidelity.

He told Haley, too, and she did her best to try and comfort him. She sat with him in the silence. Inside, Nathan felt that he had been tainted. All his life he was told that basketball was a man's sport. He wanted to be just like his father when he was younger and now he wanted to be just the opposite of him.

That was the second cut into their relationship.

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"And I think the only thing you have left to lose are those boxers," Haley smiled wickedly at Nathan as she stood in her sports bra and shorts.

The couple barely spent time together since the start of the year and because of everything surrounding Nathan's family. Now, they were having a fun game of strip basketball. It was Nathan's idea and he had no trouble convincing Haley to join in.

"I don't understand how I went from beating your butt to having to show you mine." Nathan said.

"I guess I'm just better than you," Haley shrugged. She crossed her legs after sitting down on Nathan's bed.

Nathan shook his head and smirked, "I don't think that's it. I think you just wanted to see me naked." With his boxers still on, he began walking towards his girlfriend and stopped when he was in front of her.

Haley cocked her head to the side. "Really? Who's idea was it to play for our clothes in the first place? I think that was you, Scott. Now, drop." She demanded playfully as she motioned to his underwear.

Nathan's fingers teased as they snapped his elastic waistband. His fingers stopped and his hands rested on both sides of his bed, surrounding Haley. "I think it will be more fun if you take them off for me," he told her huskily.

Haley slid her self fully onto his bed and watched as Nathan followed her motioned and lowered himself so he could reach her lips. He took hers fully as her arms reached around his muscular back. At the contact of her nails grazing his back, Nathan let out a moan.

He felt his girlfriend's hands move from his back to his waistband. "I don't think so," he said in between kisses. "If anyone is losing anything, it's you."

He suddenly jerked up when he felt a vibration against his leg. "Is that your phone?" Nathan asked between breaths.

"Yeah, but my roommate knows I'm with you and there's no way that's anyone from the team." Haley wanted to just ignore it, but once the ringing stopped, it would immediately start up again.

An annoyed sigh cut through the air as Nathan sat next to her. Earlier he had told his roommates that he was going to be using the dorm tonight. Hopefully, whoever was calling wasn't going to take the night away from them. He had already taken a shower after practice and he wasn't in the mood for taking a cold one.

Haley mouthed an apology as she took her phone from her pocket. "It's my mom. That's weird. She never calls."

"_Haley, why haven't you been picking up your phone?" Her voice shrieked frantically into the phone._

"I didn't hear it. What's going on? Why do you keep calling me?"

_There was silence. "It's your father." _

Haley's face dropped with concern. "Is there something wrong with dad?"

"_I got this visit from some police investigator. He told me that there was a car accident involving a drunk driver and yo…your fa…fa…fa…ther's car." She was beginning to heave from holding back her tears._

"Mom, slow down. Breathe." Haley soothed. As much as the two lost their mother-daughter relationship, Haley knew that they were going to need each other to get through this. Before letting her mother speak, her eyes took a quick glance to Nathan. He had a look of both worry and concern on his face. His hand took Haley's and began rubbing it soothingly.

"_There was no time." Her sobs pierced Haley's ears. "There was no reason to even take him to the hospital. The other driver had a chance to be saved and your father died right there! I swear if I knew who that kid was, I'd make sure that he didn't even get a chance to …"_

She was becoming irrational. That's how Haley's mom was when she was in shock. The only thing on Haley's mind at that moment was that her father had died.

Nathan noticed the tears gliding down Haley's smooth cheek. He wanted to know what was going on so that he could make her crying stop. If that meant talking to Mrs. James, which he barely did, then he would.

"_I don't even know what to do. I still have to call all your brothers and break the news. I called you first because I know how much you loved and looked up to him. I don't know if I can make the same call four more times. I don't even know what I'm supposed to do after I make the calls." She was becoming frazzled again. _

"Mom, mom," Haley calmed down in order to get her mother to listen to her. "Let me call you back in a little while, okay? I'll figure something out. Please just hang in there like you have been and I'll call you soon."

After getting her mother to agree, Haley hung up and she sat with a blank look on her face. The news hadn't fully hit yet, but it was close to. There were only a few weeks until she was able to come home for winter break and she was supposed to see her family again, as a whole.

Nathan didn't know what he was supposed to do. When he was going through things with his father Haley had been the strong one. She was the one who knew what to say to keep him calm and she could figure out ways to make the anger disappear.

"He's gone."

"Oh, Haley," Nathan pulled her to him. Her wet cheek hit his bare chest. He rubbed her arms as she continued to cry. He didn't want to say anything about them putting clothes on as held her.

Her sobs choked her as he consoled her. After minutes of crying and hyperventilating, Haley lifted her head from his chest.

"It's not fair," she hiccupped, "I was going to go home and see him we were going to talk about how much we missed each other and my brothers were going to be there so we could play ball on the driveway like we did when we were little. Now what am I going to do?"

"I know it's not fair, baby, I know. You're going to get through this though because you're so strong."

"I got that from him; my strength," she muttered before standing up. It didn't help much because her legs felt like they were made of jelly and she was going to collapse. As her mind whirled Haley began to pace in the small room.

"I need to think of something to say to her. I just don't know what that is yet."

Nathan's knee bounced as he tried to think, but his mind was on what was going on in Haley's. He was sure that she was going to be too upset to even think about anything else but her father. Instead, she was trying to make her mother feel better.

"I don't think I can leave her by herself until Christmas. That's weeks away and she won't be stable."

"Maybe one of your brothers will stay with her."

She shook her head. "That won't work. Mark and David both go to school out of state. They wouldn't have time to stop going to classes and hop on plane. Who knows how long someone would have to stay with her. Paul moved in with his fiancé and that's all the way in Chicago. I doubt Andrew will even pick up the phone since he's been in school." Haley stopped pacing. "I guess that leaves me."

"What?"

"Maybe I should go. I mean, I'm only a few hours away."

"But, what about your classes and basketball? You've been working so hard to earn your spot and you're nearly there. Are you sure you can give that up?"

"I know all that, but right now I think I have to put something else before basketball."

He wanted to keep her here and that was selfish. Haley deserved to be at this school and on the team. There was no way that she was going to come back next semester and try to play catch up. She would be too far gone. Nathan also wanted her to stay with him. They needed to work on balancing their relationship and basketball.

Haley walked over and sat down again. "I think I need to go home. I'm risking my future, but my father would want me to be there for my mom and try to reconcile our relationship. You know, he is the main reason why I got interested in playing ball. It was something that we bonded over."

All he could do was nod.

"You should come with me?" Her idea gave her a hopeful smile, "Yeah, we can make a trip of it. Plus, I know that I'm going to go crazy in that car if I'm going to be alone with my thoughts for that long. What do you say, Nathan? Come with me."

He let out a nervous chuckle. "As much as would love to be there for you, Hales, I can't go. Basketball's going to be pretty demanding and when it comes to my classes, I'm not like you. I can't afford to fall behind."

Her smile instantly dropped. And she started to pick up her clothes. "It's getting late and close to team curfew. I should head back to my dorm and call my mom. I'll just talk to you tomorrow after I sleep on this."

She almost fell over while slamming her feet into her shoes, but Nathan firmly caught her. "Haley, I'm sorry. I just don't know how to deal with people when they're upset. Let me walk you back, I don't want you walking across campus alone."

"I'll be fine. I grew up with four brothers and my father taught me self defense at a really young age. I'll be back tomorrow to tell you when I'm leaving."

He shouldn't have let her walk out the door. There wasn't going to be any way of stopping her from getting into her car and driving all the way home either. It was all settled and he was going to be without his girlfriend until the start of the next semester.

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Her mother was still the same as she always was, even during grief. Haley had been home for about two weeks. When she first arrived, Haley and her mother would stay up late drinking hot coffee and sharing stories about her father. Now, they were back to their old ways, when Haley was starting to grow older, where basketball was the enemy and feminism was her mom's pleading call.

"At the funeral you're not allowed to wear a black shirt and those awful boys shorts. You'll look beautiful in a dress. You have the figure that I had in high school. The dress I picked out for you will be perfect. I wore it to your Uncle's wedding when I was only sixteen." Her mother told her as she prepared dinner.

Haley rolled her eyes as she put a handful of popcorn into her mouth. "We're going to dad's funeral, Mom, not a fashion show. People are going to be looking at dad's casket, not my outfit."

"Don't talk to me like I'm stupid. A dress is way more respectful than your boy clothes. I can only imagine what you're going to wear on your wedding day." She started chopping on the cutting board.

"Maybe I'll just elope and never tell you." Haley continued shoveling popcorn into her mouth.

Lydia James dropped her knife and moved her daughter's hand from her face. "You'll spoil your dinner. Don't you have to be on some kind of diet to be an athlete?" She walked over to the sink to wash her hands.

"I'll just go running later. I usually just snack and not eat meals at school."

"You're not at school anymore. You're home."

"And boy, do I feel welcome." She mumbled.

Mrs. James rested her hands on the counter and hung her head. She let out an aggravated sigh to Haley. "Do not start with that attitude. I don't like that in my house."

"How come whenever I open my mouth I either have some sort of attitude or I'm wrong about something?" Haley asked loudly.

"Haley Elizabeth, do not start with me." Her mother warned,

"I'm not a child anymore so stop treating me like I am. All I did was ask you a question. I came home to help you with all this stuff you were going through now that dad's not here anymore. I didn't come here for you to keep poking at what I decided to do with my life!"

"Yeah, I'd rather wear more girly clothes and cook and clean than shoot a smelly bouncing ball through a dirty net, but I am your mother and you will respect me. Especially, when your in my house!"

"You don't respect me. All you ever do is judge me and I'm sick of it. Basketball is so much more to me than it is to you because it was the way I built a relationship with dad. All you did was make it impossible to talk to you. Do you want to know the other reason why I came home? Hmm? It was to fix whatever the hell is going on between us. It doesn't seem like you're ever going to want to do that because you can't accept the biggest part of what makes me, me." Haley walked out of the kitchen and went back to her old room.

After closing the door behind her, she took a few deep breaths. The pink walls still haunted her. They were her mother's idea. She had this entire vision of Haley's room to resemble a dollhouse. Instead, the vibrant color was covered with posters of her favorite basketball stars. Her father had built her shelves to hold all the trophies she had ever won in basketball tournaments. He had always supported his little girl from the start and now her biggest fan was gone. Her support system went with him.

Haley walked over to her desk where a picture of her and Nathan from their senior homecoming sat. She picked it up to look at the smiling faces. That night always brought a smile to her face because she lost her virginity to Nathan that night, right in the room she stood in. He was so caring to her that night. For a strong and womanizing teenager, Haley never thought he'd ever be considered gentle.

She thought about Nathan a lot since she arrived. They haven't spoken much and she guessed he was busy with basketball. That seemed to be the only thing he cared about. She remembered how she supported him and he couldn't do the same for her.

There were many things for her to consider when she returned for the spring semester, one of them being if she was even going to return at all.

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The funeral had been held a few days before Christmas. Her brother, Mark, had flown down the night before and was only stayed until the day after Christmas. Having him there was a huge buffer between Haley and her mom.

A speech from one of her father's close friends put Haley's mind into perspective. She learned much more about her father and she wanted to make him proud of her, even in the afterlife. Like her, he was determined and passionate when it came to his family and his hobbies. Basketball was always more than a sport. She finally concluded that it was her continuous connection to her father and nothing was going to break it.

On the way back to the campus, Haley thought of how she was going to tell Nathan about all the things that were crammed in her mind. She didn't even know if Nathan was going to be happy to see her because they barely talked and when they did it felt awkward. It was like she was talking to a different person.

He was waiting for her, when she returned. It was dark and he was wearing his team jacket. There was never a time when Haley had actually seen Nathan wearing it. He never wanted to get the coat dirty, which Haley made fun of him for.

She dropped her bag on the ground and took a few steps closer to him. "Hey," she told him softly.

Nathan welcomed her with open arms. It felt so good to be in his strong, warm embrace again. She could have used a hug like this from him during the days she was at home.

"I've missed you so much," he placed a kiss in her hair. "How's your mom doing?"

"She was upset for awhile and then I actually felt like we were getting somewhere. Now, she's back to her old self and I'm away from her. What about you and what are you doing out here? It's late."

"I was waiting for my girl to come home." He said jokingly. "Listen, I wanted to apologize to about how I reacted when you asked me to go with you. I know that you needed me and I'm sorry that I'm the way that I am when it comes to real life stuff." He shoved his hands in his pockets during his explanation.

"I understand and I'm sort of glad that you're here because I've been doing a ton of thinking back home." She bit her lip and waited for him to sit down, but he didn't. He stood tall.

"You were right about basketball. I can't give that up. I couldn't even if I tried. I don't care if my knee is screwed up because that's not going to stop me from playing. Plus, I'm too far behind in school, like you said, so…"

"So what? What's going on, Hales?"

"I need to focus on me, right now, Nathan. I love my father so much and he would want me to do whatever it takes for me to get in the NBA. It's my final decision. I'm dropping out out of school and I'm going to put my name into the WNBA draft and make something of my love for the game."

Her revelation took him by surprise. Before she left, school was always something that she had enjoyed. He couldn't let her give that up because she was going to regret it later. What did that mean for them?

"And what about me? Don't you love me?" He asked her angrily. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. How long had she been thinking about breaking up with him? Why did she wait so long to do it?

"Of course, I love you. I came to this school to be with you."

"Or did you choose it because it's one of the best basketball colleges in the state? I don't understand why you think leaving to go pro is the best decision for you, for us."

Haley combed her hand through her honey hair. "This is just something that I have to do. I need you to understand that."

"Basketball is a huge part of my life, too, but I would never choose the game over you."

"That's not entirely true. I asked you to come with and be there with me while I said goodbye to my father and you couldn't because you had basketball. That's what it always comes down to. I just think that juggling a relationship and our dreams isn't what we should be focusing on. We should focus on the long term."

"And we aren't long term?"

"Don't," she whispered. "I don't like this conversation, Nathan. I never wanted to have it, but we need to have it. Keep playing, get into the NBA, and be happy that you made it so far." She stood on her toes to kiss him, but he turned his head so her lips landed on his cheek.

She walked back to her bags and picked them up. Her neck craned to look back to Nathan, who already began walking away. Her heart was heavy as his form became a blended shadow in the darkness.

.

.

**AN: **Thank you for all of the favorites, alerts, and reviews! The third and final part should be posted by next weekend. If I do not have the time, then it will be posted during Thanksgiving week at the latest. I know that many of you love this movie and I hope that I was able to do it justice.

Reader's thoughts are always appreciated!


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** Thank you for your reviews on the last chapter. Even though this is based on the movie, I wanted my own ideas and to add twists to it. Like the movie, the scenes skip and not everything is clearly answered.

I hope you enjoy the final part!

**Part 3**

Her leg bounced recklessly as she sat on the bench watching the game before her. A gold and purple uniform clung to her sweaty body. The close numbers on the scoreboard made her heart race like a getaway train. She rocked her body like a wooden boat on rough waters as she tried to control herself from running onto the court and finishing the game.

"This game is getting down to the wire. It makes you wonder why number twenty-four is on the bench in the final game of the playoffs. Hopefully, Coach Anderson has good reasons." The announcers voice blared over the loudspeaker.

Haley couldn't agree with him more. There was no way that she was going to sit out the rest of this game. The team needed her to help them wind. This could be her last time to shine on the court this season if the coach kept her out.

All her years of hard work and focused paid off over the last few years. Haley went back home and lived with her mother, who she still had a difficult relationship with. Without school, Haley had more time to exercise during the day to build up her stamina. She wasn't drafted right away like she hoped and the process definitely wasn't as easy as she pictured it. First, she needed an agent to represent her and to get her name out there for professional teams who were looking for the next big player. Then, all she could do was practice and wait. She waited almost a year until her agent called her and told her that The Lady Lakers were looking for a new player after the retirement of an elite team member.

The woman, with short brown hair, turned to Haley. "James, you're in. Substitute for White!" She shouted at her annoyed player.

Haley shot up and ran back onto the court as the crowd cheered in an uproar. She tapped White on the back and took her position.

"It seems like Coach Anderson decided to put Haley James back into play. Let's hope there is still a chance for The Lady Lakers to take it home, tonight!"

Haley smirked in appreciation of her game and then became serious again, when the ref blew his whistle to start.

Sneakers screeched against the waxed floorboards when the ball was finally in possession. There were only thirty-five seconds left on the running clock. Haley was going to have to make a decision about her next maneuver pretty quickly.

"Haley!" a teammate called her to attention and passed her the ball as she ran towards the basket.

Haley caught the ball and prepared herself to make a layup. As she stretched to go up, a woman from the opposing team jumped up to stop her. She let out a grunt as she was pushed away. The ground caught her and she hit hard with uncontrollable legs. When she hit the ground, she heard a crack in her knee and immediately knew where it was coming from. She closed her eyes as the pain surged through her body. With shaky hands, she held her knee to her chest as she remained on the floor.

A whistle rang through the air and the full stadium turned into a mixture of hushed whisper. Paramedics ran to the court as the announcer told people to remain quite until they could assist Haley.

"Coach Anderson!" The paramedic's young assistance called out for her.

"Oh shit," she whispered as she took off her headset and passed it over to the assistant coach. She jogged on to the court and kneeled next to her fallen player. "What's wrong with her?"

Haley tried her best to hold back her tears as the pain continued to rip through her. Her teeth were clenched with so much force that she was convinced her jaw would be broken next.

"Miss James, I'm going to need you to let go of your knee so I can take a look at it. Then I'm going to need you to talk to me, okay?" The paramedic asked her calmly.

Haley nodded and winced as she let go. The relaxation pull did not make her feel any better. She wished that she didn't have to move her knee at all. Other than that, all she felt was complete fear.

"You're doing fine, Haley. They're professionals." Coach Anderson reassured her. "Is she going to have to be taken to the hospital?"

"Knee injuries are quite common in athletes. Her injury isn't a minor one, so I'm afraid we're going to have to put her on the stretcher and take her away, Coach. I'm sorry."

The paramedic turned to his assistant and told him to get a stretcher and tell the ambulance to set up for their new patient.

_No, it can't be over. _

Anderson nodded and stood up and moved so the medical team could help Haley.

"On three, we're going to slightly lift you so we can get you on the stretcher. You might feel a pull in your left leg when we shift you."

Haley didn't say anything as the team did their job. The paramedic was spot on with what was happening inside of her. All she could do was look up at the high ceiling of the stadium as they strapped her in.

The paramedic nodded to the announcement booth as Haley and the stretcher were lifted.

"I'm sorry to say folks that Haley James will not be returning back to the court this evening. We hope the star has a quick recovery and will be well enough for next season."

The crowd stood up and cheered as they all watched Haley being taken away. None of them knew about the tears that were streaming down her face. They weren't because she was grateful for the support or because of the pain. Ever since she let Nathan Scott walk away, she had been alone.

.

.

The summer sun beat down as he continued running up the hilled streets of his hometown. Muscles contracted and expanded in his legs as they worked to get him through the upward slant. Once to the top, he decided that he had run far enough and began to walk. His could feel the pulses in his legs as he began his cool down.

Even during his time off Nathan found himself continuing to work. In his profession he wasn't allowed to get lazy because it could ruin him in the future. He was at a part in his life where he didn't get things as easily as he did because of his skill and talent playing basketball. After college, Nathan found it difficult to achieve his dream because he was still getting over the personal things that had happened to him. Right now, he should have been playing for a professional team. Instead, he was scouted to an international traveling team. Unlike the NBA, Nathan did have a chance to visit different countries and play in well-known cities.

He worked with what he had. The initial spark had fizzled out of the potential professional basketball player.

Nathan's life was completely different from what he had imagined it to be.

As Nathan walked along the side of the road, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. At the buzzing sensation he took his earphones out of his ears and answered it. "What's up, Mom?"

"_Did I catch you at a bad time? You sound like you're going to pass out. Is everything okay?"_

"Yeah, everything's fine. I was just finishing up my run for the morning. There's no need to worry." He rolled his eyes. Sometimes his mother worried about him for no reason.

"_I got a call from that Lydia James, Haley's mother? Anyway, apparently Haley got injured in her basketball game and was sent to the hospital. I think you should go give her a visit."_

Nathan's steps slowed until he came to a full stop. It was five years since he had seen her. Shortly after their breakup, he and Haley had talked and made a mutual agreement that they should focus on their goals. If they found each other along the way, then maybe they were meant to be together. Nathan felt like a jackass for walking away from her that night. She needed him and he barely gave her the amount of support that he should have given to her. Her father's death was a tragedy to her and he treated it like one of her pets had died. When he moved on to the international basketball league, his thoughts of her diminished. His guilt remained the same.

He truly did love her. At a glance it seemed impossible for anyone to get along with Haley. It was easy for him because they both loved basketball so much and had the same goals and dreams. They always supported each other on that.

Now, all Nathan could think about was Haley. What had happened to her? Was she okay? How serious was her injury that she was sent to the hospital?

Nathan let out a sigh into the phone.

"_I think you should go and see her. She's at a hospital in Charlotte and could probably use a familiar face."_

He ran a hand through his shorten hair and scratched the back of his head. "I don't think I can do that, Mom. I'm sure the last thing Haley wants is an awkward encounter."

"_You both should be grown up about it by now. You went out and you broke up. Many people are just fine with seeing each other again after moving on. You'll regret it if you don't go see her. Call me when you get to Charlotte." _

All Nathan could hear after that was the dial tone.

It would be nice to see Haley again. Actually, I would be way more than just nice. He agreed with his mother that they should act grown up about what happened between them in the past. He had a lot to think about on his walk home and luckily that was for miles. Did she want to see him? Did she ever think about him? Many questions were being processed in his head and scenarios were becoming lifelike.

.

.

He entered her room with flowers in his hands. Nathan spent a good twenty minutes in the downstairs gift shop deciding whether or not to buy Haley something. He wasn't sure what she would like, besides not being in the hospital.

The bed was also empty. He walked back out to look at the number on the door. It matched the one a receptionist had given him. He walked back in and stood there, looking at the stuffed basketball that sat on her dinner tray. He could imagine Haley arguing with her nurses and trying to get out so she could get back to her game. That was just the way Haley was: over determined. His imagination brought a quick smirk to his face.

A flushing sound brought Nathan back to perspective. He slowly turned to see Haley James awkwardly trying to get back to her bed. There was a brace on her left knee, the one he knew that always bothered her when she pushed herself too hard.

Haley moved strands of her hair from her face to see who her newest visitor was. Luckily, it wasn't her mother because she was driving Haley nuts ever since she had gotten out of her anesthetic. She even asked the nurse if she could be sedated again just so her mother would leave her be.

Was Nathan Scott really standing in her hospital room right now? She hadn't seen him in person for years. The only way Haley ever could see him was when ESPN showed highlights from international games. How did he know that she was here?

"Hi."

"Hey, I, um, brought you these," he held up the purple flowers to her. "It's seems you have enough, though." He chuckled as he motioned over to the windowsill full of colorful flowers and teddy bears.

"Thanks." She watched as he set them down and he looked back over to her.

"I always told you to be careful with that knee." He joked, trying to diffuse the tension.

Haley scoffed and rolled her eyes. Her attitude was still the same. "Whatever. It wasn't my fault." She crossed her arms and tried to avoid his gaze.

"It's crazy after five years you're still the same person from high school." He shifted his weight, "so what happened?"

"The game was nearly tied at the last few seconds of the game. It wouldn't have been that way if Anderson didn't sit me on the bench for so long. I was going up for a layup, which could have been the winning shot by the way, and some giant from the other team pushed me and I fell. Now, my knee is all messed up from a torn ACL. I thought it was worse because of all the damn pain!" She let out a huff, "Why are you here anyway? Are you visiting Charlotte?"

He shook his head. "I heard you got hurt, so I came to see how you were. I've missed you."

Haley opened her mouth to tell him that she missed him, too, but was interrupted by a woman walking into her room.

"I thought that you were just going to pop in for a minute and then come back? You left me in the car for a half hour." A brunette wearing sunglasses told Nathan.

Haley raised her brow in confusion.

"I'm sorry." Nathan sighed, "Brooke, this is Haley. Haley, this is Brooke. She's my fiancé." He silently gulped at his own truth.

He had met Brooke at an airport in New York. He was getting on a plane to go meet with his agent at the time he learned that he was going to be traveling overseas. At first, Nathan had no interest in the flirting because having a relationship was the furthest thing from his mind. His flight ended up being delayed and they spent hours talking. He doubted that he would ever see Haley again and started dating, which led to his proposal.

"I've heard a lot about you," She offered her hand to Haley. _Figures it's the one with the large engagement ring on it. _Haley took her hand and smiled. _Are you serious, Nathan? _

Brooke walked back over to Nathan's side and wrapped her arms around his torso. A smile seemed plastered on her face.

Haley let out a small cough. "Well, I think I'm going to take a nap. Hopefully, when I wake up I'll be able to be discharged. Thanks for stopping by, Nate. It was good to see you again." She purposefully left out the new brunette in his life.

"It was nice meeting you, Haley. I'm sure your mom will be keeping Mrs. Scott updated with your progress. At least you'll have an amazing time recovering in LA. It's so gorgeous there." Brooke told her.

Haley cleared her throat. "My mom has been thinking that it would be better for me if I did my rehabilitation at home. This way she can keep an eye on me and be there for me at all times." _It's going to be a nightmare._

"Oh," Brooke's voice became small.

Nathan's palms felt clammy when Haley told him that she was going to be staying at home. He didn't know how long her physical therapy was going to take her, but Nathan knew how Haley's mom was. She definitely was going to be staying for a long time and only a few feet away from him.

"I guess we'll be seeing you around." Nathan said as he put his hand on Brooke's back and led her out of the room.

"Yep." Haley's emphasized the last letter. "It was great to see you, too, Haley. I'm glad that you're okay." She mimicked.

What was she supposed to expect? Nathan wasn't dwelling on the past and being short with her. There weren't any pleas of 'take me back'. He was able to be with someone who wasn't so similar to him. Haley tried to think of times when they didn't talk about playing ball. Sure, they had a few conversations about family, but it was only when bad was surrounding it.

She closed her eyes to tried to get some rest before her mom got back from taking a lunch break.

.

.

It had been a few weeks since Haley had come home from the hospital. She couldn't stand her physical therapy and all she wanted to do was to be done with it. The exercises bore her quickly and she wanted to go further beyond them. If it were up to her, then she would be okay to go back on the court in an instant.

Somebody else thought differently. Her mother took Haley's injury as a sign from God that Haley needed to slow down her activities in her life. Haley thought just the opposite. Where she was before her injury was her prime. It was her achieved goal and she thought her mother would be proud of her despite all the harsh words they had exchanged over the years. At least, Haley knew that her father and brothers were proud of her. All four of her brothers had the decency to call Haley sometime during her season and congratulate her. They often reminded her about how happy their father would be if he were alive. That was the man she was playing for.

Haley was also playing for the other man in her heart. The games were televised and she liked to think that Nathan was watching her. Maybe he didn't because he didn't want to remember all that happened between them. The thoughts sometimes made her lose focus of the game and it would cost her. She just tried her best to switch them off and play every game with all the passion she had.

Blaring music killed Haley's thought process. She was sitting where her mother would when she would play with her dolls. The reason why she was out was because she wanted to be outside again. Being cooped up indoors was something Haley disliked because she would feel like a caged animal. Fresh air and fair weather relaxed her.

The music had stopped and she heard the sound of a car door. She peered out to see Nathan returning from somewhere. He was wearing a suit, which made Haley curious. She pushed herself out of the porch chair and walked down her front yard to talk to him.

"I never thought I'd see the day that Nathan Scott was wearing a business suit." Haley said aloud.

Nathan gave her a friendly smile as he looked to the brace on her knee. "I have to do something with my time off."

"What's it like, by the way? I don't get out of the country enough and I don't think I'll have the chance to any time soon." She nervously joked.

He laughed and scratched his head. "It's really different than what I expected. At first, I was excited to leave and travel to all the cool places. By the middle of the season, I couldn't wait to go home. Unfortunately, that meant more plane trips. It was exhausting between the jet lag, practices, and then the games and I wish I had more time to actually see the cities for what they are."

"Well, that sucks." She laughed through her apology. "I've watched you play a few times when I was stuck in my hotel room. You're still the same great player I met in high school and it's a shame the NBA didn't pick you for their open spots."

"You watched me play?" He asked while masking up his amazement. Many people commented on Nathan's game, but it meant much more to him when it came from her. Knowing that she still watched him was pure wonder.

"Of course, I do. Just because we broke up, it doesn't mean that I was going to erase you. I like to know that you're happy even though your dream took a different course."

Nathan nodded in agreement. "The big league has to be pretty awesome, though, right? You've always been nonstop whenever you talked about how great you were going to be."

"It's everything that I knew it was going to be: hard work and a ton of hype. I wish I were warned about the loneliness though. Sure, I made friends with a few girls, but none of them had the time to visit me. Now, with my knee being all screwed up, I don't think I can even go back to playing. I might as well retire early." Quitting the game was her nightmare and some days Haley thought that was the only option left for her.

"You? Quit?" Nathan felt himself become agitated. "Haley, you can't do that. You're knee will heal just fine and you'll be back in the game in no time. You love it. There's no doubt that you'll be crushed if you walk away from it all." He wished that someone had been around to give him that advice.

"I don't need you to be my voice of reason. Think about it, there's a possibility that I could get better. What happens if I get hurt again? I'm not going to be a good value to any team if I keep getting injured for being stupid."

"Whatever, it's your life. Do whatever the hell you want with it." He muttered, still not being able to get through her thick skull after all those years.

She sent him an affirmative nod, "I always do."

"I should get inside. Brooke is probably waiting for me." Nathan brushed past her.

That wasn't the conversation she wanted to have with Nathan. Telling him that she was thinking about retiring early was a bad choice on her part. A part of her knew that he would never agree with her on that. Thankfully, she was able to bite her tongue and keep her comment about how his life turned out behind her teeth.

She entered her living room, where her mother sat sewing up one of her dresses. Lydia was always at peace whenever she had her needle and her thread. Haley could clearly see the image of what her family would be doing if they were all still together. Her mother would remain in the living room while her, her four brothers, and her father would be crammed onto the sofa or sitting on the floor in front of their television set watching basketball games. They were often spilt between which team they wanted to win and made small bets on which team would win. At first, her brothers tricked Haley and the team she had chosen lost. Then she got smarter and knew the stats of the players better than any of them did.

Lydia lifted her head when she saw her daughter's dirty gym shoes on her carpet. "How many times have I told you to keep those filthy things out on the porch?"

Haley muttered her mother an apology.

"What's wrong, now?"

"Nothing. I just ran into Nathan. Have you met his fiancé?" She drawled.

"That cutesy brunette? She isn't the type of person I could ever picture Nathan marrying." She began sewing again.

"Hey, something we agree on." She sarcastically said.

Her mother set her project on the end table next to her. "Do you want me to beat her up for you? That isn't me, but I bet you wouldn't mind giving her a swift kick in the buttocks."

"Buttocks? Mom it's safe to say ass."

"You know I don't like that language in my house and I don't allow violence either."

"I never said I was going to fight her." She leaned on the wall.

"If there's something I learned from that game you play since it's happened to you, it's that there is fighting. If I can recall, Nathan's mother has mentioned to me that you've gotten in a few brawls. That's quite unladylike."

How close were her and Nathan's mom? During the years they were dating, they remained acquaintances because of their major differences. Deb Scott was the type of mother that Haley wished she could have because she was so supportive of Nathan and made an effort to show Nathan that she was interested in his life. Haley's mom was just cramming her values down Haley's throat.

"I've already apologized to you hundreds of times for not being the daughter that you've wanted. I'll say it again, sorry I don't want to be a boring housewife."

At that moment, Lydia James became more alert. She usually could push aside the insults that came from her daughter's mouth. She unfolded her hands from her lap, uncrossed her legs, and stood up. Then proceeded to take a few strides towards Haley with a stern look on her face.

"I'm a boring housewife?"

Haley nodded. "All you ever did was clean the house all the time and cook meals to serve to dad. Can you tell me that that's the dream life you wanted when you were younger? Being a servant to a man?"

An echoing smack filled the room as Lydia James stuck her youngest child. She drew back a shaky hand at the realization of what she had done. A small sob escaped from her trembling open mouth.

"It's good to know there's a fighter in there." Haley said with no emotion as she gently brought her fingers to her cheek.

"Everything I have ever done was because I loved your father. That's the way I showed him that I loved him. You can't talk me down because of how I showed him my love."

Haley swallowed to coat her dry throat. "I need to be by myself."

.

.

Darkness fell and Haley looked out her window when she saw dancing shadows in the neighbor's window. She turned off her light to hide herself as she spied.

Brooke was laughing at something and Nathan was smiling. It wasn't his real smile. Haley could tell because she knew that Nathan couldn't be happy without what he truly wanted. Selfishly, he wasn't happy without her either. With all her heart, she knew that Nathan was making a mistake by being with this other woman. They weren't going to last without similarities to balance all the differences out. Plus, Nathan didn't date 'cutesy' girls. He'd rather be with a girl who could get dirt under her fingernails by playing street ball. Brooke's manicures probably couldn't pass the test.

Once Brooke had left the room, Haley made the decision to go over and try talking to Nathan again. He was the one person, beside her brothers, that she could count on. What happened with her father's death didn't change the way he made her feel before that. Nathan knew more about Haley's strained relationship with her mother over her bonding one with her father.

Haley climbed over the windowsill and walked over to tap on Nathan's glass window.

There was a confused look on his face when he registered where the sound was coming from. His head turned to the doorway to make sure that Brooke wasn't going to be returning.

"Haley?" her name was whispered when the window was opened.

"I thought we could try having a serious talk again. We suck at those, if you haven't noticed."

"Whatever," he mumbled as he climbed out.

Sitting on the grass, Haley motioned for him to sit next to her. When he obeyed she began to speak, "Surprise, surprise, I fought with my mother again. Two fights in one hour."

"Okay? What does this have to do with anything?"

"Maybe she opened my eyes to something, for once. I called her out badly by calling her a boring housewife with nothing better to do than serve my father whatever he wanted."

"You've always had a way with words."

"Thanks, Sherlock. Anyway, she loved him and that's all that mattered to her. His happiness was it. Her dreams obviously changed when they meant and I guess it's okay for things to change."

He listened to her words and couldn't help but think that they were meant for him in some way.

"What are you really saying, Haley?"

"I can tell that you're not happy anymore. Brooke's not the one you should be marrying."

"You're being crazy? Who should I marry then? Should I be marrying you?" He exclaimed.

Haley noticed his defense.

"We're in the past, Haley. Remember? I walked away from you when I should have been beside you. You said that you needed to focus on yourself and achieve your dream. I've given that to you."

"You gave it to me without a fight. If my father died and I never left school, then maybe we'd still be together. I don't know what we would be doing with our lives, but I know that we'd at least be together. It's obvious that my dream is finished, but yours isn't. I'm not going to sit back and watch you throw it away and marry Brooke without a fight."

"And how are you going to do that? Five years is a long time and I'm not just going to drop what I have just because you've popped back into town."

He was right. Haley bit her lip as she tried to think of an explanation. Then it came to her. There was one thing that was constant in both their lives and it made them the people that they were.

She stood up from the grass. "I'll play you for it."

"What?" He asked her like she was still talking crazy. Did she fall on her head, too?

"One on one. You and me." She nodded as she tried to formulate her plan. "The first to five wins. If I win, you drop the act and tell me how you're really feeling because I'm tired of you keeping it inside like you always do."

Nathan stood up next. "And what if I win?"

Haley shrugged her shoulders. "I'll buy you a wedding present." She offered him her hand to make the deal official.

As his hand connected with hers, he shook his head. There was no way that she was going to be able to play with her knee still in rehab. He wasn't going to back down from this one.

.

.

He waited for her to show up on the court. Nathan was dressed in his old black shorts and matching sleeveless shirt. The ball from his childhood sat next to the basketball hoop that he had practiced his free throws at. This was also the spot where he and Haley played games for fun and she had beaten him almost every time. He never had to go easy on her and that's what made it fun.

Haley appeared out of the darkness in her shorts and black sports bra. On her way over to him, she picked up his ball and threw it to him. The cold night didn't matter because she was going to be covered in sweat soon.

"This is insane." Nathan commented as he checked the ball to her.

"First to five wins." She checked the ball back.

Nathan shook his head as made a shot from the spot he was standing in. The ball went through the next effortlessly. "That's one," he said when Haley returned the ball to him with force.

Haley crouched down in her defending stance as Nathan repeated what he did before. "That's two. You can back out, if you want to."

She checked the ball back to him. "Just play the ball."

Instead of just shooting the ball, Nathan went to Haley's left, where he knew she couldn't stop him because of her knee. He did a layup and the ball went it. "Three. Nothing. Haley, we don't need to do this."

"Yeah, we do. Come on," She motioned to the ball.

Her spark was definitely back. He remembered the game of strip basketball in his room. He had started off in the lead and she was able to steal possession of the ball and defeat him.

She walked over to the side and took off her brace.

"You don't have to show off how tough you are."

"It's slowing me down. Ball," she lifted her hands to catch the ball before bouncing it back to him. Haley went forward to try and steal the ball from him. She succeeded and took a shot. The ball went in the basket.

Nathan caught the ball after it fell from the net. This time she had the advantage of making another point. Nathan rested his hands on his knees as he waited for Haley to check him the ball.

Once the ball was back in her hands Haley dribbled the ball and thought out her next move. Thinking on the court for a certain period of time was not the right move for the athlete. Nathan swiped the ball and dunked the ball in to the next. He released his grip from the rim and landed on two feet.

Haley's breathing became heavy. Nathan only had one more shot and that would be it. There was no way that she was going to catch up to him. This was a fight that Nathan was finally going to win.

Nathan dribbled the ball between his legs after the routine checking was finished. Haley's eyes never left his. She came forward and he stepped back. When she moved further from him, he moved closer to her and the basket.

Her breathing was ragged from trying to defend the basket and her spot in Nathan's heart. She wasn't ready to be benched from it just yet. Hopefully, he could see that.

As he went for his final shot, Haley pushed her body into his. Nathan's was much larger than hers and she fell to the ground. She heard the ball glide through the net. In her last loss, Haley let out a frustrated groan.

"That's game." He tossed the ball in the grass.

Nathan looked to Haley, who was in disbelief. He knew it wasn't because of losing a silly five-point game. He watched as her hands went through her sweaty hair. Then she turned to Nathan and stood up.

As she made another one of her speeches to him, all Nathan could think about was how his life was going to be now that Haley was going to step aside. She couldn't do that. He wouldn't let her. His fight was to help her fight.

Her final sentence was what he heard the strongest. He walked over to her and cupped her cheeks. He brought his lips over hers as he kissed her repeatedly. His lips had been without her for five years too many. He pulled away to catch his breath, which could be seen mixing in the night with hers. His lips formed a smile as they touched hers again

.

.

The stadium roared as the player's names were being called for the traditional team lineup.

"Next up we have the newest player to announce. Ladies and gentlemen of Charlotte, help me in welcoming the newest member to The Bobcat family number twenty-three, Nathan Scott!" The announcers voice boomed through the large arena.

Nathan stepped up to the sideline and jogged down the isle made by his teammates. On his way down, he gave high fives to each of them. He took his spot on the end, where he waited for the rest of the team to be introduced for the first game of the season.

His name was pressed onto his white and orange jersey as his back faced the other half of the crowd.

Nathan clapped when all of the players were on the court. He turned to look for that familiar face in the crowd a smirk came to his face when he saw the curly brunette holding a small toddler on her lap.

"Look, Jamie. There's, Daddy!" She picked up his tiny hand and waved it towards Nathan. "Go, Daddy!"

Her smile was radiant, which her new dark hair made more apparent to him. It matched the rich hazel of her eyes.

Their son had his blue eyes and her natural blonde hair. James Scott was named after his late grandfather. There was no doubt that this child came from two talented, passionate, and determined parents.

_"My life fell apart when I made the choices to drop out and break up with you, Nathan. Basketball wasn't fun for me anymore because I was playing half-hearted. When you walked into my hospital room and seeing you five years later made me feel alive again. I can't play the game that I love anymore, but you can. I've always loved watching you play and I've always loved you. Because of you I still have the two most important things in my life and someday you'll be done but our talent will live on through our children. All's fair in love and basketball, right?'_

**The End.**

I hoped you liked my Naley take on _Love and Basketball_. If you haven't seen the movie, I highly recommend that you do because it's really good and one of my favorites.


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